suggestions for a new press

[dragon813gt]

I wouldn't spend the money for a Rock Chucker. A Lee Classic Cast will do everything it does for less money. And it has a hollow ram for primer disposal. There are guys that swage bullets on the Lee w/ a few modifications. It's plenty strong if you were worried. I personally like getting the most from my money. The LCT is another great option if you wanted to speed up production. I like the CoAx but rarely use it. These are all presses I own and use. Not just talking about things I don't know. I also have a RCBS JR3 and Lyman Spartan that get used from time to time. But it's very rare that I use them.

[seagiant]

drink the green koolaid, whatever your wallet can handle.

Hi,
Ha! Well color me green!

I think an old press from the 50/60's has SOUL....a modern LEE...not so much!

[LUBEDUDE]

Hi,
Ha! Well color me green!

I think an old press from the 50/60's has SOUL....a modern LEE...not so much!

I agree 100% !

That older stuff Rocks!

[seagiant]

Hi Lube,
Ha! Thats a scary pic! I almost died one night in a SS Chevelle like that in S.Georgia one night in the early 70's!

The boy that owned it, pulled the engine and had it balanced before it had a 100 miles on the odometer! It was scary fast (to fast) for a young kid!

That car in good shape today would be worth a lot of bucks today!

[r1kk1]

Hey seagiant,

Does your A2 drop primers through the ram? How about your Bair?

My Champion has a drilled through SOLID ram. A monster that I love.
The Reddings have a hollow ram and a tube attached, I have the Ultramag.
The COAX has excellent primer catcher. I have a B3
The Summit drops spent primers into a cup. Mine is RWB #24

take care

r1kk1

[seagiant]

Hey seagiant,

Does your A2 drop primers through the ram? How about your Bair?

My Champion has a drilled through SOLID ram. A monster that I love.
The Reddings have a hollow ram and a tube attached, I have the Ultramag.
The COAX has excellent primer catcher. I have a B3
The Summit drops spent primers into a cup. Mine is RWB #24

take care

r1kk1

Hi,
The Bair drops the primers in a square cup that fits behind it. These come through a hole in the large ram. The A2 drops them where ever I think. I'm not home just going on (bad) memory!

The thing is I could care less where the primers go cause I am in my shop and just sweep it out every couple days anyway! Some people seem to be bothered about used primer managment but I could care less!

Here's the Bair loading another batch of .223 for my AR-15!

[EddieNFL]

I agree 100% !

That older stuff Rocks!

LS6 by chance?

[LUBEDUDE]

I have no idea what engine. That is not my car.

Hey SG, glad you survived the 70's! I did as well. I used to street race daily and all night long in high school on the second largest unofficial drag strip in the U S according to Hotrod Magazine, Sunset Strip was #1.
That would be Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas. It was about 5-6 miles of 3 lanes each direction, divided by stop lights about every half mile or so. Just too tempting for teens with 4 wheeled rockets. I raced a 68 SS396 Camero, 69 GTO, 47 Wileys Jeep with a 327.

It's true that God and his Angels watch over kids, drunks, idiots, and any combo of thereof, for I was surely guilty of all charges!

[seagiant]

Hi,
Yea at 59yrs. I still count on my Angels! Especially on my Kawi!

[LUBEDUDE]

Sweet! That sure is pretty.

Yup, at 59 here as well I'm still alive because I don't ride two wheelers anymore . I'm not mature enough to stay off the throttle. I'm just too addicted to speed.

When I almost became a grease spot in the road going Mach 1, I said never more and sold my bike many years ago.

[charlie b]

LOL different strokes My bike is an antique and I ride it slower since I almost went off a cliff (Moto Guzzi).

My Lee Loadmaster press is a newer one. My 30 year old Lee turret press I gave away to a new reloader. It only had a 100k rounds loaded on it. Just don't make em like they used to

For the OP, since he already has other presses for most duties, the Lee single stage makes the most sense. I just picked a used one up at the local gun shop for $30. Will outlast me and probably my kids.

[gwpercle]

CH4D has a Universal C Press Ram for "virtually" all C and O type presses. 13/16 inches in diameter , 5 inches long, and made for snap in shell holders. $24.00. A quick call or E-mail will verify if it will work. I like the old ones too. Got a Lyman All-American Turret ( red paint and wood handle) last week. Old presses need love too.
Gary
daily driver is a 1968 Chevelle

[BucolicBuffalo]

I had a Rockchucker in the past. It was a good press. 30 some odd years later I got back into reloading and shooting. I bought a Forster Co-Ax this time. I really like the shell plate that is used instead of shell holders. The quick change die thing is nice. But most have some way of doing that nowadays.

We shot at an indoor range and when we were done we swept up our shooting boxes and the guys gave it all to me. Dumped it in a gallon ziplock and brought it home. Popped in a decapping die and knocked out primers on everything we swept up. 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 38 Special, 357 mag, and 45LC. As I decapped I sorted, and never worried about having to change shell holders. As long as you feel your way though the pile and when you feel that Berdan primer case, you won't break a decapping pin.

The Forster looks like it is in short supply. But it's in stock if you look around. Yeah, I am a fan. Just because of that shell plate system. Everything else it does is just gravy. But you do have a nice press now as some of the fellows pointed out.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I have a gun show by me next weekend so i will be looking for a deal on a press. i would like to find a Rockchucker if not that's OK
i want a new press i don't need one. I did find a J type shell holder that i need for 223 and found one for my 30/06
so im not in a rush now. thank you all

[nitro-express]

Buy the new one, you deserve it.

Then restore the old Comet. It may be possible to buy a replacement ram and fit it in your press. at one time RCBS made a ram that fir quite a few old presses, to convert to their shell holders.

I have a Tru-Line Jr, and the "J" shell holders are out there, but they want about $25 for them. If you want to play, you play. I bought what I needed, a #1, #2, #6, #7 and #26, at a cost of app $100. Worst is some don't fit, Lyman quality. Honestly, I don't know how Lyman stayed in business.

My main presses are a Redding Ultra-Mag, a RCBS RC and a Redding T-25. The feature of having a tube for the primers and crud on the U-M is nice. A super strong press, but awkward to use, the bars get in the way. My old RC is nice, gap and stroke are the limiting factors, and the primer **** gums up the ram after a while. The old T-25 is a joy to use, decapping is a joke though, primers fly all over. I mostly decap everything in the U-M and then use either the RC or T-25 or both to finish off.

For the price a Classic Cast single station is full featured and inexpensive.

[seagiant]

Hi,
I'm sure the Classic Cast is a fine press for the money! I have to give it to Richard Lee for finally going to cast iron with some of his presses!

I have to say though that I would walk over 2 CC to get to an old 50's press needing a home.

Good luck at the Gunshow (go early,move fast) I run through looking for old equipment first, then slow down after I'm sure I covered everything and then look at the other stuff!

[quickshot]

I just upgraded from the classic cast single to the classic cast turret. I only load .223 and .308 right now. The convenience of having all the dies set up and in one place was what won me over. My cast single now sits on a shelf collecting dust.

[lmcollins]

Seagiant: Tell us about that old Bair. I never had a chance to look at one in person.

It looks hell for stout, and something that you should be able to swage on. Does it do any more than my old 1970 Rockchucker. It looks like it might be cramped, but very strong. The casting is there for support, and the linkage is steel. How big is its window, and can you do things like the 375 H&H any better than on a Rockchucker?

[seagiant]

Seagiant: Tell us about that old Bair. I never had a chance to look at one in person.

It looks hell for stout, and something that you should be able to swage on. Does it do any more than my old 1970 Rockchucker. It looks like it might be cramped, but very strong. The casting is there for support, and the linkage is steel. How big is its window, and can you do things like the 375 H&H any better than on a Rockchucker?

Hi,
Yes it's fairly stout,even though my favorite is the RCBS A2 cast STEEL press! The Bair Kodiak 150, I wanted for years figuring I would pick one up cheap along the way. Never happened!

I finally cracked and paid good money for this one, but they are hard to find and the price seems to go up everytime I see one!

Swaging I don't know,I have never done it, and not really sure how much power it takes, but would probably go to a dedicated swaging press if I did!

I like the open front of the Bair (like my Dillon RL-300's) as I am left handed and access to the shellholder is easier!

If I was home I would measure the window but I'm not maybe someone else knows? If you ever see one of these south of $250 I would buy it,you will never lose money on it!

[fast ronnie]

I have two rockchuckers, but that press of yours looks mighty stout. I like gwpercle's idea of upgrading the ram to take newer shell holders. If you can't buy a universal ram, you could make one relatively easy. That press will probably still be working many years from now with just a tad bit of tlc and some paint!